ACFC/31DOC(2008)001 Parties to promote a climate of mutual understanding and intercultural dialogue, which is a precondition for effective participation of persons belonging to national minorities. In order to meet this objective, there is a need for adequate teaching and other material to be made available, for teachers to be adequately trained and for exchanges between students and teachers to be promoted, as highlighted under Article 12 (2). Moreover, under this Article, the Advisory Committee has often recommended that the authorities provide for the participation of persons belonging to national minorities in the preparation of legislation on education, as well as in the monitoring and evaluation of educational policies and programmes, in particular those concerning them. 163. Article 12 (3) of the Framework Convention is of particular relevance when analysing Article 15 as it requests State Parties to promote equal opportunities for persons belonging to national minorities in access to education at all levels, including in vocational training and adult education. 164. Article 14 (1) and (2),69 on the one hand, sets the right for persons belonging to national minorities to learn their minority language and provide that State Parties should, under certain conditions, endeavour to provide adequate opportunities for receiving instruction or for being taught in a minority language. This is an important means to preserve and develop their identity and culture, as also stipulated in Article 5.70 Article 14 (3) on the other hand, specifies that this should be implemented without prejudice to the learning of the official language. Adequate knowledge of the official language by persons belonging to national minorities is indeed essential for their participation in various spheres of life and their integration in mainstream society.71 Therefore, the main foundations underlying the Framework Convention, already described in paragraphs 13 to 15 above on the connection between Articles 4, 5 and 15, are also fully reflected in Article 14. 165. The Advisory Committee has in many cases stressed the importance of effective participation of persons belonging to national minorities for the implementation of the rights contained in Article 14. It is, in particular, crucial to involve persons belonging to national minorities in decisions taken with regard to the organisation of minority language education72 to ensure that this type of education caters for the needs of national minorities. 69 14 (1) The Parties undertake to recognise that every person belonging to a national minority has the right to learn his or her minority language. 14 (2) In areas inhabited by persons belonging to national minorities traditionally or in substantial numbers, if there is sufficient demand, the Parties shall endeavour to ensure, as far as possible, and within the framework of their education systems, that persons belonging to those minorities have adequate opportunities for being taught the minority language or for receiving instruction in this language. 14 (3) Paragraph 2 of this article shall be implemented without prejudice to the learning of the official language or the teaching of this language. 70 See paragraphs 13 and 14 above. 71 See also remarks under Article 10 above. 72 See also the Commentary on Education under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, adopted by the Advisory Committee on 2 March 2006. 41